Home Sweet Home: Hornets 53, Watson Chapel 33

Marvin Moody protects the ball with his body as he puts up a shot. (Photo by Kevin Nagle)

Something about playing at home, where you practice — there’s a comfort level that often allows a team a chance to relax a little, stay in the routine and be your best come game time. Then with the home fans and the student body in the house, there’s a little extra fire.

The Bryant Hornets hadn’t played a home game for over a month when they hosted the Watson Chapel Wildcats on Tuesday night. And they proceeded to hold the admittedly short-handed Cats to just 2 points in the entire first half, building a 20-2 lead on the way to a 53-33 victory.

“They were missing some players due to suspension,” noted Hornets coach Mike Abrahamson. “That changed the dynamic of their team. But only giving up 2 points in a half was impressive. We did a good job of making them take contested jump shots and then we blocked out well too.

“Our kids played very hard and earned the win,” he asserted.

Kevin Hunt led the scoring with 14 points including a trio of 3-pointers. Calvin Allen added 12 points including 9 of 10 from the free throw line as he repeatedly attacked the basket. Antavious Lewis and Ketrick Wilson each finished with 6 points. Marvin Moody had 5, Wesley Peters 4, Detavious Moore 3 and Lowell Washington 2.

Bryant was without one of their starters and top scorers. Sophomore Romen Martin was nursing a pulled groin.

Bryant led 7-0 after a quarter. After building the lead to 20-2 by halftime, they added to the difference in the third quarter, which ended 34-12. Watson Chapel scored 21 points in the fourth quarter but the Hornets added 19 to maintain a comfortable lead.

The game concluded the pre-Christmas portion of the Hornets’ schedule. They’re set to return to action in the 2014 Coke Classic at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith on Monday, Dec. 29. They’ll open the tournament against Pulaski Academy in a game that begins at 4:15 p.m.

Wesley Peters fires up a 3 from the corner. (Photo by Kevin Nagle)

Ketrick Wilson gets inside a Watson Chapel defender on the way to the basket. (Photo by Rick Nation)